Angela Merkel. “Uruguay could be the engine towards the battle for free trade”

Angela Merkel. “Uruguay could be the engine towards the battle for free trade”

After the meeting with Uruguayan president Tabaré Vazquez, German chancellor Angela Merkel said she hoped to make progress in negotiations for a free trade agreement between Germany and the Mercosur.

Before the visit of president Vazquez, Merkel talked about Uruguay in her weekly radio program.

She said that Germans know about Uruguay because its “good football”, but they were many more things that connected Germany and Uruguay. “We know that Uruguay had a very positive development in these last years, and that is the reason because I’m very happy about the visit of president Vazquez. The country has made a huge progress fighting poverty and is a good example for Latin America. Uruguay has a very liberal democracy, a strong law system and an orientation trough sustainability and environmental care. All of this has strengthened our ties, but our bilateral relationship can be stronger. And this is why this visit is very important”.

“For Uruguay the relationship with Germany has an strategic and multifunctional character” –said president Tabaré Vazquez in a press conference after the meeting with Merkel. “Germany can find in Uruguay a trustful partner; stable, respectful of agreements and institutions and which is a linchpin in the region’s relations and coexistence”, he added.

“We talk about the values that are the foundation of our policies and Uruguay is impregnated with these values” –said Merkel after the meeting- saying also that Vazquez “has an strong interest in bilateral cooperation”.

She highlighted that Uruguay is trough an investment plan and that Germany could be a part of it. She expressed that a letter of intention will be signed and Germany could participate in investments in rail infrastructure and renewable energies.

Merkel said Uruguay could prove a “motor” toward bringing negotiations to a free trade agreement between Mercosur and Germany.

“Germany is a fundamental member of the European Union,” Vazquez said. “We have committed to keep pressing the negotiations to reach an agreement between Mercosur and the EU.” The president pointed out that Uruguay “has historically advocated for the demolition of barriers and the elimination of obstacles to commerce.”

“Uruguay is an example of a very responsible international policy –added Merkel- “It’s has been very successful in its fight against poverty and sustainable development”.

She also said that Uruguay has the best Gini coefficient in Latin America and has the lowest level of income inequity of the region. “Both countries have a lot of common in order to intensify our cooperation”.